There won't be a St. Pete Catalyst Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day). We'll publish again Tuesday the 8th.
According to a post published on the Pinellas County government's Facebook page, "the Florida Department of Health's latest report shows more than 60 Dengue cases in the Tampa Bay area with 58 confirmed cases in Hillsborough, five in Pinellas and one in Pasco." Dengue Fever is typically transmitted through mosquito bites.
Largo resident Melissa Arledge joined Pinellas County leaders Wednesday to celebrate the rebuilding of her home after it was damaged by Hurricane Milton in 2024. The effort was made possible through the Pinellas Recovers program, which provides assistance to individuals impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton. According to a prepared statement, "construction is underway now on dozens of new homes – both single-family and mobile homes – across Pinellas County." To learn more about the Pinellas Recovers program, visit this link.
Orlando Health announced Tuesday that it will launch the Orlando Health Spine Center in the Tampa Bay area. According to a prepared statement, "the multidisciplinary program brings together orthopedic, neurosurgical and pain management physicians to provide prompt diagnosis and treatment for patients with back and spine concerns." The center will be supported by multiple locations, including offices in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Brandon. The St. Petersburg and Wesley Chapel practices will offer walk-in-clinics. For more information, visit this link.
Pinellas County has issued a severe weather warning for residents. Representatives wrote that "heavy rain may cause localized flash flooding, especially in urban and low-lying areas, along with gusty winds and frequent lightning." They also emphasized that individuals should not "drive or walk through flooded roadways." This can prove to be dangerous. For more information, visit this link.
There's no Arts Alive! podcast today. The regular Friday feature, with Bill DeYoung, will return Sept. 11.
Monstah Lobstah IRB, the Indian Rocks Beach seafood restaurant, will temporarily close Sept. 7 for a complete rebuild. In a Facebook post, the owners wrote that the establishment, at 125 Gulf Blvd., suffered "significant damage during the 2024 hurricane season." They added that the current structure "continues to need significant repairs and remains vulnerable to flooding, future storms and additional damage." The new building will be a "multi-level restaurant designed specifically for our coastal environment and built with the future in mind."
Certain City of St. Petersburg facilities and services will be closed Sept. 7 in observance of Labor Day. According to a prepared statement, "residential trash and recycling collection regularly scheduled on Monday collections will be made on Tuesday. Tuesday collections will be made on Wednesday."
Excelsior University is now accepting applications for the first doctoral degree program in the educational institution's history. According to a prepared statement, the Doctor of Business Administration program "combines flexible online coursework with two brief, impactful in-person residencies." These will be offered in St. Petersburg and Albany, New York. The experiences "ensure valuable face-to-face networking, mentoring and research support opportunities." For more information, visit this link.
The City of Tampa, East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area and local developer Urban ReWorx have broken ground on The Vicente, an affordable housing community in the Nebraska Avenue corridor. According to a prepared statement, "the project will transform a former car wash site in the V.M. Ybor neighborhood into 20 new affordable rental homes and approximately 950 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail space." For more information, visit this link.
WalletHub has ranked St. Petersburg No. 13 nationally among the best cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs, giving the city a total score of 56.66. St. Pete ranked No. 10 for Hispanic business-friendliness and No. 63 for Hispanic purchasing power in the 2026 WalletHub study, which compared 182 cities across 23 metrics including Hispanic-owned businesses, entrepreneurship rates, business revenue growth, affordability, income growth and unemployment.
Allegiant Air is expanding service between St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and Flint, Michigan, adding flights to the existing nonstop route beginning Feb. 11, 2027. The expanded schedule will offer service between PIE and Flint Bishop International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays as part of Allegiant’s latest expansion.
